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Robb Report Home: Art in the Garden

APRIL 01, 2004

Your garden will become an outdoor gallery. Thanks to Janice Feldman of Janus et Cie, the Duchy Collection of outdoor furniture is now available in the U.S. Introduced last year in England, the collection is based on the garden furniture created for Highgrove, Prince Charles’ country house in Gloucestershire.

Designed by Leon Krier and Stephen Florence and crafted by Will Bullough, the Duchy Collection is a sensational series of outdoor tables (whose cutout pattern echoes Highgrove’s garden maze), chairs, and benches made of sweet chestnut, a tree that flourishes in the Aconbury Wood on the prince’s property in Herefordshire.

“They fell or cull the trees only at certain times of the year, then they cure the wood for a long period to stabilize it,” says Feldman, who recently visited the forest. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Sweet chestnut is a very elegant and straight-grained pale yellow. I was shown chairs that have been left outdoors for two years that are still true to their original color.”

Only 500 items will be made each year, so this is an exceptional opportunity to own a log from a royal forest. “The line goes beautifully with classical or modern design,” says Feldman, who carries the Duchy Collection in her Los Angeles and New York showrooms. “It is sensitive to the environment, and the profits are donated to a charitable foundation.” She expects the cost (from $3,000 for an occasional table to $12,000 for a long dining table) to attract a select clientele. “I think this will appeal to anyone seeking the rare and the exclusive,” she says. “That is part of the draw.”